cover image ISLAND OF BLOOD: Frontline Reports from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Other South Asian Flashpoints

ISLAND OF BLOOD: Frontline Reports from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Other South Asian Flashpoints

Anita Pratap, . . Penguin, $14 (276pp) ISBN 978-0-14-302906-9

It takes a while to get to the heart of the engrossing stories in this account by leading Indian journalist Pratap. Once there, the reader is forced to wade through Pratap's lofty self-assessments and accounts of praise she has earned during her impressive career. Still, Pratap's captivating stories overcome these weaknesses and leave the reader with a powerful human understanding of some of South Asia's most gruesome tragedies. Blending her professional experiences, historical events and personal anecdotes, Pratap devotes much of the book to her coverage of the Sri Lankan conflict. One of the few journalists to cultivate a relationship with the legendary Tamil leader Pirabhakaran, Pratap brings to life this extraordinary man and his motivations. In the process, she aptly covers both the journalist's struggles to report in conflict-ridden areas and the social and human costs of the violence. Unlike her discussion of the Sri Lankan war, however, Pratap's account of events in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and India is focused on specific incidents and offers little historical context. As a result, the unfamiliar reader's understanding may be confined to Pratap's experiences. Yet she vividly portrays the human suffering in these troubled regions, raises important political and social questions and keeps the reader engaged through entertaining anecdotes as well as personal reflections. The result is a finely balanced memoir of Pratap's extraordinary personal and professional experiences and addresses the political and human dimensions of some of South Asia's gravest conflicts and tragedies. (Aug. 26)